Photo curtesy of Hometown Freebies |
So much food! |
- Cheese bread
- Brie and other cheeses with cranraisins and crackers
- House salad with tomatoes, carrots, and red onions with a balsamic dressing
- Fried shrimp dumplings and purses
- Pasta salad with tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion, and feta cheese crumbles
- Meat-filled raviolis with a tomato sauce
- Rigatoni with sausage and a white cream sauce
The food was so awesome! I always love Brie cheese, but pairing it with the cranraisins and the wine created a winning combination. The balsamic dressing for the salad was quite good, and I thought the sourness added an distinct flavor that was not present in the other food items. My other favorite was the pasta salad because I love all of the added ingredients, especially olives and feta!
Yum! |
Variety according to me:
|
Wine:
|
Chardonnay
|
Sierra Cruz Sauvignon Blanc
2010
|
Sauvignon Blanc
|
Lison Pramaggiore Pinot Grigio
|
Pinot Grigio
|
Leese-Fitch Chardonnay
California 2009
|
Moscato
|
Opera Prima Moscato
|
Pinot Noir
|
Kenwood Yulupa Pinot Noir
2010
|
Merlot
|
Poggio Vipere Chianti DOCG
2009
|
Chianti
|
Hope Merlot Hunter Valley
2009 Australia
|
Cabernet Sauvignon
|
Cholila Ranch Malbec
Fatagonia Argentina 2010
|
Malbec
|
Chasing Lions Cabernet
Sauvignon 2008 North Coast California
|
Even though I had no idea as to what I was tasting, at least I know white from red. Most of the wines I really enjoyed...there, of course, were a few exceptions. I didn't catch too many flavors from a lot of the wines simply from tasting so many, but I wanted to talk about a few wines that stuck out to me.
Lison Pramaggiore Pinot Grigio:
Lison Pramaggiore Pinot Grigio |
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Kenwood Ylupa Pinot Noir 2010 |
Alcohol: 11.5%
Kenwood Yulupa Pinot Noir 2010:
I really enjoyed this wine! I was also interested to hear from our host that this is a special blend only available in restaurants; Zeppoli's had actually received a shipment of this wine just in time for the tasting. I tasted dark berry flavor similar to blackberries and cherry. I also got the slightest hint of vanilla. While I didn't find this wine very complex, it really complemented the ravioli's I ate with it, I thought. The only real bummer about this wine was the heat I got in the back of the throat. The official tasting notes provided by the host state that there are "fruity aromas of boysenberry, strawberry, and cherry...joined by notes of vanilla and spice smooth tannins with a hint of sweetness." These notes also revealed that this was the first vintage of this Pinot noir.
Variety: 99% Pinor Noir, 1% Syrah
Price: $14.99
Alcohol: 13.5%
Poggio Vipere Chianti DOCG 2009:
Poggio Vipere Chianti DOCG 2009 |
Variety: Chianti blend
Price: $11.99
Alcohol: 12.5%
Cholila Ranch Malbec Fatagonia Argentina 2010 |
This wine had one of the craziest nose's I have smelled this semester - it was a berry explosion. This dark red wine was very heavy and meaty, with berry undertones and an undeniable smokiness. I personally thought this was one of the most complex wines of the tasting. While I really liked it, I thought that it was a bit heavy for me to drink casually. I imagine that it would pair very nicely with a good steak. Wine Advocate scored this wine 88 points and described it as, "spice box, plum, black cherry, and violets; supple, round, and easygoing."
Hey! That's me! |
Price: $10.99
Alcohol: 13.9%
Overall, I thought this wine dinner was a great experience! Olivia and I had a great time, and, while doing so, got to eat, drink, and make new friends. I found our host to be very knowledgeable, fun, and engaging, which really added to the experience. The planning and overall organization of the event was really impressive - the blind tasting sheets were fun, the food was hot and ready, and the wine was served in a timely manner. I would highly recommend to other students and people living in Blacksburg to give this wine tasting a chance; I promise it won't disappoint!
Olivia and I enjoying the wine |